315th Troop Carrier Squadron
A Douglas C-47 drops ammunition and rations near Myitkyina, Burma
Active1943–1945; 1948–1949
Country United States
Branch United States Air Force
RoleAirlift
EngagementsChina Burma India Theater
DecorationsDistinguished Unit Citation

The 315th Troop Carrier Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last active with Tenth Air Force, based at Kent County Airport, Michigan, where it was inactivated on 27 June 1949.

History

The squadron was activated in January 1944 in the China Burma India Theater. It was equipped with Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports, and engaged in combat airlift operations in India and Burma. In 1945 it also flew Curtiss C-46 Commandos. It flew combat cargo resupply missions, troop carrier missions, parachute drops and other missions as necessary.[1] The unit participated in the airborne assault of Myitkyina, Burma on 17 May 1944. As part of the 443d Troop Carrier Group, it also performed airlift of an entire Chinese army from Chihkiang to Nanking between 5 and 20 September 1945.[2] During its year and one half in combat, the squadron was twice awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation.[1]

The squadron returned to the United States in December 1945, and was inactivated at the port of embarkation.[1]

The 315th Troop Carrier Squadron was reactivated as a reserve unit under Air Defense Command (ADC) at Kent County Airport, Michigan in June 1948 and assigned to Second Air Force. In 1948 Continental Air Command assumed responsibility for managing reserve and Air National Guard units from ADC.[3] The unit does not appear to have been fully manned or equipped while in the reserves.[4] President Truman’s reduced 1949 defense budget required reductions in the number of units in the Air Force.[5] and the 315th was inactivated and not replaced[1] as reserve flying operations at Kent County ceased in 1949.

Lineage

  • Constituted as the 315th Troop Carrier Squadron on 8 December 1943
Activated on 1 January 1944
Inactivated on 28 December 1945
  • Activated in the reserve on 11 June 1948
Inactivated on 27 June 1949[1]

Assignments

Stations

Detachment operated from Shingbwiyang Airfield, Burma, 13 July 1944 – 8 August 1944
Detachment operated from Ledo Airfield, India, 14 July 1944 – 2 August 1944

Aircraft

  • Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1944–1945
  • Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1945[1]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 384
  2. ↑ Maurer, Combat Units, pp. 317–318
  3. ↑ "Abstract, Mission Project Closeup, Continental Air Command". Air Force History Index. 27 December 1961. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  4. ↑ See Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 384 (no aircraft listed as assigned to the squadron from 1948 to 1949)
  5. ↑ Knaack, p. 25

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Further reading

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